The 5-minute hero section autopsy

The 5-minute hero section autopsy
"A great hero section needs a hero image." [MOSTLY MYTH] It spread because every template ships with a stock photo slot, so designers fill it. The boring truth: most hero images add weight and steal attention from the headline doing the actual selling. Run this autopsy before you ship one:
— Cover the image with your hand. Does the page still say what it does and who it's for? If yes, the image is decoration.
— Read the headline alone. Can a stranger restate your offer in one sentence?
— Check the first CTA. Is it visible without the image present?
— Time-to-clarity: under 5 seconds or rewrite.
The nuance the original advice skipped: images sell when they show the product in use or the outcome. A smiling stock model selling nothing is worse than whitespace.